BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN CIVIL ENGINEERING

CE 11 – PRINCIPLES OF ENGINEERING
TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING

Engr. Hebe M. Cuenco-Uy, MECE

College of Engineering
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PREFACE

A module in Principles of Transportation Engineering which gives emphasis on urban

transportation planning, design and operation using statistical and modeling
techniques and computer methods. It also covers capacity and level of service of air,
rail and highway. It also includes safety, environmental impacts and mitigation,
transportation policy fundamentals and case studies.

The students using this module are expected to:

1. Define concepts of transportation systems analysis and planning;

2. Apply travel demand forecasting computation and analysis;

3. Prepare traffic impact assessment reports;

4. Recognize current transportation issues and policies, economic safety and

environmental concerns.

All lessons contained in this module aimed to help the students create a traffic study
in various areas. It is expected that the students have already acquired skills to
understand and solve problems related to engineering surveys. Knowledge along
highway engineering are expected to help learners.

C. M. D. Hamo-ay
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Learning Packet 1
INTRODUCTION TO TRANSPORTATION PLANNING
AND ENGINEERING
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UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION TO TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

AND ENGINEERING

1.0 Intended Learning Outcome

Define transportation engineering and its importance, its historical development and
various modes of transportation.

1.1 Introduction

For as long as the human race has existed, transportation has played a significant role by
facilitating trade, commerce, conquest, and social interaction, while consuming a
considerable portion of time and resources. The primary need for transportation has been
economic, involving personal travel in search of food or work, travel for the exchange of
goods and commodities, exploration, personal fulfillment, and the improvement of a society
or a nation. The movements of people and goods, which is the basis of transportation, always
has been undertaken to accomplish those basic objectives or tasks that require transfer from
one location to another. For example, a farmer must transport produce to market, a doctor
must see a patient in the office or in the hospital, and a salesman must visit clients located
throughout a territory. Every day, millions of people leave their homes and travel to a
workplace— be it a factory, office, classroom, or distant city.

Transportation engineering and planning are concerned with the movement of people and
goods by means of highways, rail, air, water, and information technology. Presently, urban
and inter-modal means of transportation are high development priorities. Transportation
has played a crucial role historically in connecting countries and continents, however,
promoting economic and social integration of the various regions of the world. All forms of
transportation influence our lives and raise environmental, health, and safety issues.
Transportation is intimately interwoven with the daily lives of individuals and organizations
in our society: it is easy to overlook its significance until it fails in some way.

1.2 Topics/Discussion

1.2.1 Definition and Importance of Transportation Engineering and

Planning

Transportation engineering or transport engineering is the application of technology and

scientific principles to the planning, functional design, operation and management of
facilities for any mode of transportation in order to provide for the safe, efficient, rapid,
comfortable, convenient, economical, and environmentally compatible movement of people
and goods transport.
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The planning aspects of transportation engineering relate to elements of urban planning, and
involve technical forecasting decisions and political factors. Technical forecasting of
passenger travel usually involves an urban transportation planning model, requiring the
estimation of trip generation (number of purposeful trips), trip distribution (destination
choice, where the traveler is going), mode choice (mode that is being taken), and route
assignment (the streets or routes that are being used). More sophisticated forecasting can
include other aspects of traveler decisions, including auto ownership, trip chaining (the
decision to link individual trips together in a tour) and the choice of residential or business
location (known as land use forecasting). Passenger trips are the focus of transportation
engineering because they often represent the peak of demand on any transportation system.

Transportation engineering, primarily involves planning, design, construction, maintenance,

and operation of transportation facilities. The facilities support air, highway, railroad,
pipeline, water, and even space transportation. The design aspects of transportation
engineering include the sizing of transportation facilities (how many lanes or how much
capacity the facility has), determining the materials and thickness used in
pavement designing the geometry (vertical and horizontal alignment) of the roadway (or
track).

Before any planning occurs, an engineer must take what is known as an inventory of the area
or, if it is appropriate, the previous system in place. This inventory or database must include
information on population, land use, economic activity, transportation facilities and services,
travel patterns and volumes, laws and ordinances, regional financial resources, and
community values and expectations. These inventories help the engineer create business
models to complete accurate forecasts of the future conditions of the system.

Operations and management involve traffic engineering, so that vehicles move smoothly on
the road or track. Older techniques include signs, signals, markings, and tolling. Newer
technologies involve intelligent transportation systems, including advanced traveler
information systems (such as variable message signs), advanced traffic control systems (such
as ramp meters), and vehicle infrastructure integration. Human factors are an aspect of
transportation engineering, particularly concerning driver-vehicle interface and user
interface of road signs, signals, and markings.

Tapping natural resources and markets and maintaining a competitive edge over other
regions and nations are linked closely to the quality of the transportation system. The speed,
cost, and capacity of available transportation have a significant impact on the economic
vitality of an area and the ability to make maximum use of its natural resources. Examination
of most developed and industrialized societies indicates that they have been noted for high-
quality transportation systems and services. Nations with well-developed maritime systems
(such as the British Empire in the 1900s) once ruled vast colonies located around the globe.
In more modern times, countries with advanced transportation systems—such as in the
United States, Canada, Asia, and Europe—are leaders in industry and commerce. Without
the ability to transport manufactured goods and raw materials and without technical know-
how, a country is unable to maximize the comparative advantage it may have in the form of
natural or human resources. Countries that lack an abundance of natural resources rely
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heavily on transportation in order to import raw materials and export manufactured

products.

1.2.1.1 Transportation and Economic Growth

Good transportation, in and of itself, will not assure success in the marketplace, as the
availability of transportation is a necessary but insufficient condition for economic growth.
However, the absence of supportive transportation services will serve to limit or hinder the
potential for a nation or region to achieve its economic potential. Thus, if a society expects
to develop and grow, it must have a strong internal transportation system consisting of good
roads, rail systems, as well as excellent linkages to the rest of the world by sea and air. Thus,
transportation demand is a byproduct derived from the needs and desires of people to travel
or to transfer their goods from one place to another. It is a necessary condition for human
interaction and economic competitiveness.

The availability of transportation facilities can strongly influence the growth and
development of a region or nation. Good transportation permits the specialization of
industry or commerce, reduces costs for raw materials or manufactured goods, and increases
competition between regions, thus resulting in reduced prices and greater choices for the
consumer. Transportation is also a necessary element of government services, such as
delivering mail, defense, and assisting territories. Throughout history, transportation
systems (such as those that existed in the Roman Empire and those that now exist in the
United States) were developed and built to ensure economic development and efficient
mobilization in the event of national emergencies.

1.2.1.2 Social Costs and Benefits of Transportation

The improvement of a region’s economic position by virtue of improved transportation does

not come without costs. Building vast transportation systems requires enormous resources
of energy, material, and land. In major cities, transportation can consume as much as half of
all the land area. An aerial view of any major metropolis will reveal vast acreage used for
railroad terminals, airports, parking lots, and freeways.

Transportation has other negative effects as well. Travel is not without danger; every mode
of transportation brings to mind some major disaster—be it the sinking of the Titanic, the
explosion of the zeppelin Hindenburg, the infrequent but dramatic passenger air crashes,
and highway accidents that each year claim about 40,000 lives in the United States. In
addition, transportation can create noise, spoil the natural beauty of an area, change the
environment, pollute air and water, and consume energy resources. Society has indicated a
willingness to accept some risk and changes to the natural environment in order to gain the
advantages that result from constructing new transportation systems. Society also values
many social benefits brought about by good transportation.

Providing medical and other services to rural areas and enabling people to socialize who live
some distance apart are just a few examples of the benefits that transportation provides. A
major task for the modern transportation engineer is to balance society’s need for fast and
efficient transportation with the costs involved. Thus, the most efficient and cost-effective
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system is created, while assuring that the environment is not compromised or destroyed. In
carrying out this task, the transportation engineer must work closely with the public and
elected officials and needs to be aware of modern engineering practices to ensure that the
highest quality transportation systems are built consistent with available funds and accepted
social policy.

1.2.2 History of Transportation

Long before cars, snowmobiles and airplanes, humans had migrated to all over the Earth
powered almost exclusively by their feet. Eventually, people got tired of walking around
and carrying everything they needed on their backs. They started to use domesticated
animals to carry goods. They also built machines and devices, like sleds and travois, to help
them carry more. In some parts of the world, they began using the wheel and axle to build
carts and carriages. As people travelled back and forth, establishing trading routes, well-
used paths became more and more permanent. These paths became the first roads. As time
went on, people started to maintain the roads and look at ways in which they could be made
easier to travel, these people were the first transportation engineers.

1.2.2.1 Notable Events in Transportation Development in Chronological

Order.

1555: The Highways Act in England resulted in the election of surveyors to plan and
supervise road works.
1765: The Duke of Bridgewater’s 7½ mile (12 km) canal, from coal mines on his estate at
Worsley to Manchester, England, opened.
1780s: Rotary power obtained from steam engines.
1816: Steamboat applications in Sweden, on the Hudson River in the US, and in cross
channel services linking England and France.
1825: The Stockton and Darlington Railway opened. Twenty-five miles (40 km) long and
connecting coalfields, it is regarded as the world’s first railway/railroad, although
steam powered locomotives hauling cars on iron rails, or strips on wood beams, had
already operated for some decades.
1835: The Great Western Railway was organized, with I. K. Brunel as the chief engineer
and a major promoter.
1837: The SS Great Western, designed by Brunel, entered service, steaming from Britain to
New York in nineteen days.
1840: Frank Hillis operated a steam-powered vehicle between London and Hastings and
maintained a speed of 25 mph (40 kmh) for 125 miles (200 km).
1870: A street cable car in London, using a natural fiber and then wire rope, commenced
operation. A subway under the River Thames used cable power, as did an elevated
line along 5th Avenue in New York.
1870: E. W. von Siemens demonstrated an electric railway in Berlin.
1872: The Great Epizootic in the U.S. killed many horses, especially in urban areas where
the respiratory disease spread quickly.
1873: A. S. Hallidie opened a cable car line in San Francisco.
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Figure 1.1 Evolution of Transportation

1880: Thomas Edison explored battery power, compressed air, and chemical generation of
electricity.
1886: Karl Benz developed a three-wheel car powered by an internal combustion engine,
and G. Daimler and W. Maybach a four-wheel car.
1887: America’s first electric vehicle was built by William Morrison. 1888: Frank J. Sprague
built electric streetcar systems.
1896: The Panhard et Levassor company placed the automobile engine in the front of the
vehicle.
1899: Congress appropriated funds to the Army Corps of Engineers to build at Los
Angeles what became, by the 1930s, the world’s largest artificial harbor. The first
stage of the project was completed in 1912.
1900: There were about 5,000 miles (8,000 km) of streetcar lines in the US, carrying about 4
billion transit trips in 1900. The total number of cars in Europe reached about 10,000.
1903: First powered flight in France, using airships. Orville Wright made a short sustained,
controlled airplane flight in North Carolina.
1907: Robert Fulton introduced the Albany–New York steamboat service on the Hudson
River.
1908: The first Model T automobile was built by Henry Ford. 1910: The total number of
cars in Europe reached about 200,000.
1914: The Panama Canal opened, diverting a large share of non-perishable
transcontinental freight traffic from all-rail movement to rail–water–rail movement.
1915: The USA established the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics.
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1925: Bus services began to replace streetcars.

1930: In the USA alone, transit trips rose to about 17 billion, and the average urban dweller
was making about 120 trips per year by transit of all sorts.
1964: The Japanese National Railroad opened new high-speed rail infrastructure between
Tokyo and Osaka, known as the Shinkansen.
1975: The first Group Rapid Transit (GRT) line, sometime called Personal Rapid Transit
(PRT), opened in Morgantown, W. Virginia.
1981: France began operating a new high-speed train called TGV, between Paris and Lyon
in 1981.
1991: ITS America was mandated by the US Congress to co-ordinate the development and
deployment of intelligent transportation systems in the United States.
1997: The automated highway systems (AHS) were demonstrated for the public for the
first time in San Diego, 7–10 August.
2001: Limited transportation location-based services (LBS) are offered in Japan, Korea, and
a few European countries.

1.2.2.2 Major Disciplines of Transportation

1. Transportation Planning – essentially involves the development of a transport model

which will accurately represent both the current as well as future transportation
system.

2. Geometric Design – deals with physical proportioning of other transportation

facilities, in contrast with the structural design of the facilities. The topics include the
cross-sectional features, horizontal alignment, vertical alignment and intersections.
Although there are several modes of travel like road, rail, air, etc. the underlying
principles are common to a great extent. Therefore, emphasis will be normally given
for the geometric design of roads.

3. Pavement Design – deals with the structural design of roads, both (bituminous and
concrete), commonly known as (flexible pavements and rigid pavements)
respectively. It deals with the design of paving materials, determination of the layer
thickness, and construction and maintenance procedures. The design mainly covers
structural aspects, functional aspects, drainage. Structural design ensures the
pavement has enough strength to withstand the impact of loads, functional design
emphasizes on the riding quality, and the drainage design protects the pavement from
damage due to water infiltration.

4. Traffic Engineering – covers a broad range of engineering applications with a focus on

the safety of the public, the efficient use of transportation resources, and the mobility
of people and goods. Traffic engineering involves a variety of engineering and
management skills, including design, operation, and system optimization. In order to
address the above requirement, the traffic engineer must first understand the traffic
flow behavior and characteristics by extensive collection of traffic flow data and
analysis. Based on this analysis, traffic flow is controlled so that the transport
infrastructure is used optimally as well as with good service quality. In short, the role
of traffic engineer is to protect the environment while providing mobility, to preserve
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scarce resources while assuring economic activity, and to assure safety and security to
people and vehicles, through both acceptable practices and high-tech
communications.

1.2.2.3 Video Lessons

An Animated History of Transportation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaLCQo8NJFA

History of Transportation | Learn with BYJU’S

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ias80qIlzqA&t=152s

1.2.3 Modes of Transportation

Transport modes are the means by which people and freight achieve mobility. They fall into
one of three basic types, depending on over what surface they travel – land (road, rail and
pipelines), water (shipping), and air. Each mode is characterized by a set of technical,
operational and commercial characteristics.

1. Road transportation

Road infrastructures are large consumers of space with the lowest level of physical
constraints among transportation modes. However, physiographical constraints are
significant in road construction with substantial additional costs to overcome features such
as rivers or rugged terrain. Road transportation has an average operational flexibility as
vehicles can serve several purposes but are rarely able to move outside roads. Road transport
systems have high maintenance costs, both for the vehicles and infrastructures. They are
mainly linked to light industries where rapid movements of freight in small batches are the
norm. Yet, with containerization, road transportation has become a crucial link in freight
distribution.

2. Rail transportation

Railways are composed of traced paths on which are bound vehicles. They have an average
level of physical constrains linked to the types of locomotives and a low gradient is required,
particularly for freight. Heavy industries are traditionally linked with rail transport systems,
although containerization has improved the flexibility of rail transportation by linking it with
road and maritime modes. Rail is by far the land transportation mode offering the highest
capacity with a 23,000 tons fully loaded coal unit train being the heaviest load ever carried.

3. Pipelines

Pipeline routes are practically unlimited as they can be laid on land or under water. The
longest gas pipeline links Alberta to Sarnia (Canada), which is 2,911 km in length. The
longest oil pipeline is the Transiberian, extending over 9,344 km from the Russian arctic
oilfields in eastern Siberia to Western Europe. Physical constraints are low and include the
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landscape and pergelisol in arctic or subarctic environments. Pipeline construction costs

vary according to the diameter and increase proportionally with the distance and with the
viscosity of fluids (from gas, low viscosity, to oil, high viscosity).

4. Maritime transportation

Because of the physical properties of water conferring buoyancy and limited friction,
maritime transportation is the most effective mode to move large quantities of cargo over
long distances. Main maritime routes are composed of oceans, coasts, seas, lakes, rivers and
channels. However, due to the location of economic activities maritime circulation takes
place on specific parts of the maritime space, particularly over the North Atlantic and the
North Pacific. The construction of channels, locks and dredging are attempts to facilitate
maritime circulation by reducing discontinuity. Comprehensive inland waterway systems
include Western Europe, the Volga / Don system, St. Lawrence / Great Lakes system, the
Mississippi and its tributaries, the Amazon, the Panama / Paraguay and the interior of China.
Maritime transportation has high terminal costs, since port infrastructures are among the
most expensive to build, maintain and improve. High inventory costs also characterize
maritime transportation. More than any other mode, maritime transportation is linked to
heavy industries, such as steel and petrochemical facilities adjacent to port sites.

5. Air transportation

Air routes are practically unlimited, but they are denser over the North Atlantic, inside North
America and Europe and over the North Pacific. Air transport constraints are
multidimensional and include the site (a commercial plane needs about 3,300 meters of
runway for landing and take off), the climate, fog and aerial currents. Air activities are linked
to the tertiary and quaternary sectors, notably finance and tourism, which lean on the long
distance mobility of people. More recently, air transportation has been accommodating
growing quantities of high value freight and is playing a growing role in global logistics.

6. Intermodal transportation

Concerns a variety of modes used in combination so that the respective advantages of each
mode are better exploited. Although intermodal transportation applies for passenger
movements, such as the usage of the different, but interconnected modes of a public transit
system, it is over freight transportation that the most significant impacts have been observed.
Containerization has been a powerful vector of intermodal integration, enabling maritime
and land transportation modes to more effectively interconnect.
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Assessment

Summative Test 1.
Answer the following completely.

1. Discuss in your own words, the importance of transportation planning

and engineering. 30 points.

2. Categorize the historical development of transportation in your barangay

and in your municipality. 35 points.

3. Identify the various modes of transportation in your barangay and in

your municipality. Describe each. 35 points.

Submit in hardcopy or electronically in pdf format. The test will be rated as

follows:

Content 40%
Originality 30%
Effort 20%
Timeliness 10%
Total 100%

1.3 References

Addis Ababa Institute of Technology, Department of Civil Engineering. Transportation of

Engineering. https://tnigatu.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/chapter-11.pdf

Garber, N.J. and L.A. Hoel. (2009). Traffic and Highway Engineering – 4th Edition. Cengage
Learning.
http://civilcafe.weebly.com/uploads/2/8/9/8/28985467/traffic_and_highway_engineeri
ng_4th_edition.pdf

Tschangho, J.K. (2013). Transportation Engineering and Planning – Volume 1.

Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS). www.eolss.net
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